Thanksgiving seems so long ago, but it’s actually been less than a week. Our family celebrated twice. My mother hosted a few of my siblings and their respective families on Thanksgiving day, and then I cooked our own Thanksgiving meal on Sunday (which required Monday to recuperate, including a chiropractor visit). I invited one sister and her family, not trying to play favorites, but knowing she’s been under stress, her dishwasher is broken, and her Thanksgiving day away from my family didn’t have all her favorites.

Last year I did do a little cooking for Thanksgiving, but I didn’t lift a finger at Christmas because of my health issues and open heart surgery recovery. To not help out is unusual and uncomfortable for me. I enjoy cooking and baking. I enjoy the process of reading recipes, finding the right ones, tweaking to fit my family and tastes, and the best of all is having everyone enjoy it. Despite some of my heart setbacks, I do feel like I’m getting back into my cooking groove.

No offense implied to those who use the term, I can’t bring myself to say I’m a “foodie.” I just don’t like that term, as it infers that I put food above everything else, as if food is my god. It probably means something else to others, but I can’t get past that negative implication.

Most of my food interest I inherited from my paternal grandmother. She read cookbooks for enjoyment, writing notes in margins, trying all sorts of recipes. She had a vast cookbook collection which she read and rotated recipes. My mother used to find me reading cookbooks and remarked that was my grandmother did. I was happy to know that I came by it honestly. Even dealing with food allergies and intolerances doesn’t dampen all my interest in cooking. In some ways, it’s made it a greater challenge to provide tasty food even when it can’t have all the allergic ingredients.

My husband loves home-cooked meals and special desserts. His mother did a wonderful job cooking and baking and creating memories. I loved asking for the Miller family trade secrets and reproducing them in our family.

Although it’s not a huge revelation to most, using really farm fresh or good quality ingredients does make a difference in taste. Now those who are eating are not going to point out that “this butter in the pie tastes like it’s Irish butter” but they do think the pie tastes particularly delicious. There is also detail involved. Cranberry relish tastes so much better if all the bitter white rind is removed from the oranges, a step my MIL doesn’t always do. And the Filling Balls taste much better if the onion isn’t old and turning rancid.

The point of this post is just a record of what was successful this Thanksgiving. I didn’t get pictures of everything, and no pictures of the people at all! Most of these recipes already have a separate blog post, which I’m updating with the photos and different notes. But here is my husband’s favorite Thanksgiving Menu:

Turkey: We had to compromise, as he didn’t want to spend the money on a farm fresh turkey, but I wanted a free range organic turkey. I found the latter at our grocery store, which the price was half way between farm fresh and factory farm processed turkey. It was a small turkey, but my husband remarked that he did think it tasted better, so next year we might upgrade to farm fresh. We had one last year and I thought it was the most delicious and moist turkey I ever had.

Turkeys in the 12- to 18-pound range are easier to handle than larger birds and will feed 8 to 12 people, allowing for some leftovers.

Season the bird generously with salt and pepper, inside and out, at least a day ahead preferable two or three. Turkeys can also be made tastier by being submerged in a seasoned saltwater brine for a day or two, but I no longer bother with brining, especially since more flavorful heritage breeds of turkey have become available again. Flavor the turkey with herbs, if you like: stuff the cavity with herb branches, rub the skin with chopped herb leaves, or work sprigs under the skin of the breast and thighs.

Make sure the turkey is at room temperature when it goes into the oven, and rub it first with softened butter, both outside and under the skin. If you stuff it, do so at the last minute, with freshly made stuffing, also at room temperature. Fill the cavity loosely so the bird will cook evening. Extra stuffing can be cooked separately in an ovenproof dish.

Put the bird in a heavy roasting pan, breast up, preferablly on a rack or cushioned by a bed or herb branches, in a preheated 400 degrees F oven. Figure roughly 12 minutes per pound for a 15-pound unstuffed turkey (less for a bigger one). If the turkey is stuffed, allow about 5 minutes more per pound.

After about one third of the total cooking time, lower the heat to 350 degrees F and turn the turkey over. Roast it breast down for the middle third, and turn it back breast up for the final third. Baste it once or twice while it roasts after the final turn. Check for doneness at the leg joint as you would a chicken. Cook it to a temperture of no more than 160 degrees F at its thickest points, at the fattest part of its breast and deep in its inner thigh. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before you carve it (its internal temperature will continue to clim). The pan juices make wonderful gravy.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 325ºF. Remove giblets and neck from turkey; discard or save for broth, if desired. Rinse cavity of turkey and pat dry. Sprinkle inside of turkey with salt and pepper. Place onion, celery, carrot and if desired 1 to 2 stems each of sage, rosemary and thyme inside turkey. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan; set aside.

Continue roasting 2 1/2 to 3 1/4 hours (see note below) or until internal temperature of thickest part of thigh is 170ºF. and juices run clear, basting every 1 hour. If necessary, cover breast of turkey with foil to prevent over-browning during roasting. Cover loosely; let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Tip: Total roasting time will be about 12 to 20 minutes per pound, depending on size of turkey. This olive oil-herb mixture can also be used when roasting only a turkey breast, and is also excellent on roasted or grilled chicken or pork.

We can’t use butter because of my son’s dairy allergy, so I made a mixture with olive oil to rub the turkey and put under the skin, but stuffed it like Ina suggests.

Gravy: I accomplished an allergy safe gravy. It’s not hard. I took the pan with the turkey drippings, added homemade chicken broth and cornstarch, whisking together to thicken and scrape the bits off the bottom. Before serving strain.

Stuffing: I hate stuffing. It’s too mushy for me. One of the best things my husband brings to our marriage is their family’s tradition of Filling or Stuffing Balls. They are so delicious, and give the crunch and texture that I like. My batch this year was the best I’ve made, using Irish butter, homemade broth, and I added egg to the mixture so they stayed together. The picture above is while they are drying, before they are baked.

Cranberries: I skip the Cranberry Relish Mold (but when I do make it, I will take out the white rind of the orange, as I dislike that bitterness). My husband loves the Cranberry Orange Relish, and I find it quite tasty. I used organic oranges, organic sugar (and sometimes I use a little less on the sugar) added 3 oranges and always use pecans (I am, after all, a Southern gal).

Mashed Potatoes: Not everything I make for big holiday feasting will be safe for my food allergic son (no wheat, no dairy, eggs must be cooked). Mashed potatoes is one that I do make safe. I use homemade chicken broth, salt, garlic powder and safe margarine. I don’t peel my potatoes, but use a potato ricer after they are cooked.

Sweet Potato Soufflé : I do not like sweet potatoes in any way shape or form, but my SIL introduced a wonderful recipe this year that is just too, too delicious! This, my friends, could be served as dessert. I will have to add my photo later.

My oldest son helped me with the pie baking. He’s allergic to eggs, wheat and dairy, so over the years he has not been able to help me. When he was younger he would break out in hives just by touching the foods. Since he’s now 11 and outgrowing some tendencies, we both thought it would be fine for him to help with the pie crusts. We thought incorrectly. He had the worst hive breakout anywhere the flour touched his face and arms, even using gloves and a mask. The Benadryl worked, but it took much longer than usual, 1 1/2 hours.

He bounced back, though, and helped me with the apples.

Overall it was a successful Thanksgiving. Enjoying the extended weekend with family really was the highlight. It was encouraging to see that I haven’t lost all my ability to cook despite my health setbacks. Thanks for reading…I know everyone is in Advent mode, but I needed to make a record of what I did for this year, so I can keep track of my recipes, especially since Christmas is almost a repeat of the same menu.

Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Celebrating with family is the best.
It’s always interesting to read other folks’ traditional foods and recipes. Your ‘stuffing balls’ sound not entirely unlike our traditional stuffing, only we use a lot more eggs. But we bake ours in a casserole dish, not balls. I didn’t realize the bags of bread cubes were a PA thing. 🙂
And speaking of Altoona, we were just visiting with an elderly gentleman and his wife from our church , both of whom grew up in Altoona. When he was a boy he used to walk a mile in the snow to serve Mass for Bishop Guilfoyle at the Bishop’s house, carrying his cassock in a little case. God bless him!

Kimberlee, that is so neat about meeting that couple! I think the current bishop is going to sell the residence last I heard. Dave attended the high school named after Guilfoyle. Interestingly, there have been 3 US bishops with that last name! http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/ldg10.html

Yes, Mr. & Mrs. B went there when it was called Altoona Catholic High School and Guilfoyle was Bishop. 🙂 My kids like to visit with them and hear all their stories about the old days (he’s also a veteran).
And that’s a very interesting data base you linked to!

Jenn, I loved reading this article! We also had two Thanksgivings although the first one was a dinner out with the expats. It is never the same, so we end up having our traditional Thanksgiving meal on the First Sunday of Advent. Mixed decor on the table, but definitely a Thanksgiving meal! I think you and I cook much the same, but I will be checking out some of your recipes. Your version of the pecan pie sounds wonderful and may appear on my Christmas menu!

I went to a home school conference many years ago and I think their daughter, also named Maria, spoke. I have a book written about them . I know they didn’t walk out of the mountains but escaped via train., and their butler, although a Nazi alerted George and maria that they needed to leave right away. I have always enjoyed the movie and reading about them. I would be so thrilled to win one of the books.